Oh blooming heck. Is anybody up?

[TinkerTailorSoldierLibrarian]

I'm 37+1 and woken up with several gushes of clear fluid and some gloopy show type stuff.

Only thing is I had a routine appt today and the head was still quite high and free. Do I need to ring somebody and go and get checked? I know the risk of prolapse is tiny but I'm wondering if I need to go and see somebody now? Do I wake dh? 4yo dd is fast asleep too.

No contractions. Several bh and baby is moving.

Hi,

Up finishing an assignment

Sounds like waters breaking and a show... best would be to phone the labour ward where you're planning to deliver. They will probably want you to come in for an exam.

Good luck!

Phone a midwife, they'll keep you right. But don't worry, some babies only engage with contractions. And good luck!

Just phoned the nearest hospital (am not delivering there) and spoken to a mw. I have to go in to have swabs/bloods done.

Oh bloody hell I'm not ready for this. DD is fast asleep. Oh dear.

More gushes of fluid.

Where were you planning to deliver? Bags packed, DH awake? Best of luck, you will be fine, babe will be too, he/she is probably ready to come out :)

Sometimes waters can go before labour is ready to start, or you may be already having small contractions that you haven't noticed yet (when I went in to be induced, apparently I was having these and just had not noticed at all, they only showed up on the monitor).

I know a friend of a friend whose waters went 2w prior to delivery; by the time she delivered she had an infection in her uterus (this was due to her private hospital telling her that she was fine, she was imagining it and to go home - they were wrong.)

Me too Thumbwitch, my waters broke at home, nothing happened for 2 days and had to go in for an induction with all the trimmings, so much for the planned homebirth! Had a raging temperature during the birth and infection afterwards.

Best to go in TinkerTailor.

Good luck!!

My waters broke first with dd. Contractions started hours later. Had a long, difficult labour and an emcs when after 8hrs of pushing she was still stuck.

I'm having flashbacks to it all currently.

I am so frightened. I don't want to leave dd. She's all curled up.

[pfb]

Who is coming to have dd? Should you wake and explain or just leave. It's tricky!

This is one of my concerns if I go into labour at night.

Sounds like things are happening- good luck! X

Also please don't dwell on previous labour- easier said than done I know.

All my friends have said Second time round easier and quicker.

Good luck,watching with excitement

You (and she :) ) will be fine. I'm so excited for you!

Tinker: Take a deep breath in. Breathe out while saying the word 'relax' to yourself. Do this a few more times. Then imagine yourself with your tiny newborn in your arms and a smile on your face. Imagine yourself telling a friend the birth story - how it all went really well, that your body really did know what to do.

Good luck

more good luck wishes from me.

hope all goes well and you have your newborn very very soon.

No idea what's happening tbh. Been to the delivery suite, they did a couple of traces. I'm having moderate to strong contractions, buggered if I can feel them. Am 3cm dilated, no waters left. Head still v high.

I've insisted on coming home as nothing's happening and the hospital delivery room was cranked up to a heat setting known as hotter than fricking hell.

So I'm at home, still can't feel anything happening. Am 10hrs into a 24hr countdown and I'm heading for emcs again, I just know it. Every time I look at dd I burst into tears. She's my baby. I don't have any more time just me and her and this baby is wanted but I don't want things to change for her.

I feel a bit of sobbing, trembling mess.

that'll be the hormones then!

Calm down. The more panicky you get, the harder it will be for your body to do its thing - as my hypnobirthing woman said, back in prehistoric times, if a sabre-tooth tiger came round the corner while you were starting labour, you wouldn't sit there and continue, you'd be up and running - the "fight or flight" system (response to adrenaline) would kick in and labour would be the last thing that the bod would be wanting to do - all resources would be diverted to getting the hell away from the tiger.

Panicking just invokes that same fight or flight response. So you must stay CALM. Think positively. Relax as much as you can - take rescue remedy, lavender oil in the bath, soothing music, yoga breathing - whatever it takes to calm down.

Once you are calmer, your bod can take over and do its thing. Stop thinking about anything other than having a happy healthy baby at the end of this, however he/she comes out.

Breathe deeply. And again. And again.

Stay calm. All will be well. :)

I hear and understand everything you're saying. But I'm broken. DD never descended past the spines, this baby isn't even bothering to start proper contractions.

Somebody else, please, do it for me.

Read again and keep breathing - relax. Let your muscles relax. Let the tension go (I'm serious here) - breathe into your abdomen and will her to drop. Release the lower muscles so there is no tension - as you breathe out, focus everything downwards. You can rub downwards on your belly as well, just gently, with the outbreath - try to get yourself into a trancelike state of calm and relaxation.

You can do this - one way or another you can do this - and your baby will come out.

really good luck tinker.

as everyone else says try hard to relax and not stress.

Do you have to have anything done after 24 hours.... i only ask because if you live in my house, according to my midwife, they are happy to allowe 48 hours after waters break.

(I never herd that before last week)

good luck

Am thinking of you Tinker. Just look at your perfect DD and think you're about to get that ooey gooey feeling all over again :)

As above says - one way or another it will all be over. Labour has to end at some point, and you'll have a squidgy little baby to gaze at :)

Now then first of all have a

Secondly - your waters have gone and you're three centimetres dilated - that's good. That's your body moving in to labour mode.
Thirdly - your body IS contracting. The trace does not lie. So your cervix will be softening up.
Fourthly - action can only be recommended to you. You cannot be forced to do accept anything. That would be assault! So you do still have control.
Fifthly - you're a weepy mess - Jolly good! Birthing hormones obviously in full flow

Day after dd2 was born I sat up in the night and cried because I thought I had ruined everything for dd1 by having another baby. Next morning I went to get her up and she stood up in her cot with a determined look on her face and said 'go find baby!'. It will be alright. Your family is going to be fine and so are you.

Keep walking about. Bounce on a ball if you have one. Visualise your cervix opening up. You are strong, you are a mother and you are going to birth this baby one way or the othe

Have faith in yourself.

Cuddle dd as much as she will let you. Will release feelings of well being.

Good luck - you are going to do brilliantly. You made a baby how cool is that

oh sweetie, you sound really panicked. NL has some very sound advice. Just a thought though - you're latest comment "I can't do this, please someone else do it" usually comes from a lady in transition. Can I suggest that you possibly get checked again, and soon? You could well be having a silent labour and your body is just getting on with it

Good luck, you'l be getting to meet you're brand new baby today, and that is something to celebrate!

Good luck Tinker. Some great advice here.

Good luck Tinker. Un-MNetty hugs.

Ok I'm hoping the silence is a good sign.